Definition & Meaning of "present perfect progressive"

What is the "present perfect progressive"?

The present perfect progressive is a verb tense used to describe actions that began in the past and continue to the present or have recently stopped, with a focus on the duration of the action. It is formed by using the auxiliary verbs "has been" or "have been" followed by the present participle of the main verb, which typically ends in "-ing." For example, in the sentence "They have been studying for three hours," the phrase "have been studying" indicates that the action of studying started in the past and is still ongoing or has just recently finished, emphasizing the length of time spent on the activity. The present perfect progressive is valuable for highlighting the continuity of actions and their relevance to the present moment.